Santo Domingo.- The news source northjersey.com reports Thursday that a group of Dominican students who journeyed to the U.S. to see democracy in action had hoped to see the White House, “but had to settle for the black granite of the Passaic County Administration Building in Paterson.”

It said 12 high school students traveling as the Dominican Republic Juvenile Parliament planned to visit Washington, D.C., to address the Organization of American States when they flew into JFK Airport on April 21. “But their trip was blown off course when they discovered that the Dominican Government official who had arranged their visas had allegedly pocketed the US$2,000 (around RD$60,000) that each student paid for hotels and meals.”

“Rather than cancel the trip, the students made hasty arrangements to stay with Dominican families in the metropolitan area. And the search to see democracy in action abruptly shifted from Washington to the halls of Passaic County government,” the news source said.

Quoting Bethania Marmolejos, a Wayne mother of two who had five students living at her house this week, it reports that, "for all of these students, it is the first time they have ever been to America," "They were thrilled to be here, and excited by what they saw."

It adds that Juana Manzueta, a chaperone with the group, was philosophical about the change in plans. "Everything happens for a reason," .